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AMERICAN 
SUPREMACY 




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American 
Supremacy 



BEING A COMPILATION 
OF FACTS AND STATIS- 
TICS REGARDING FOR- 
EIGN COMMERCE, WITH 
HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS 
FOR THE EXTENSION OF 
OUR EXPORT TRADE ^ 



$ 



OREPARED with the assistance 
of the Diplomatic and Consu- 
lar Officers of Countries represented 
in the United States and the 
direct co-operation of the 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
AT WASHINGTON JL jk Jt, 



Charles Austin Bates 

Publisher :: :: :: NEW YORK 



COPYRIGHTED 1901 

BY 

CHARLES AUSTIN" BATES. 



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// is the purpose 

of this book to signalize the newly 
acquired advantages gained by the 
American Nation in the attainment 
of commercial and economic supremacy. 

To urge upon American 

industrial concerns the expediency, 
at this juncture, of making aggressive 
efforts to obtain the great volume of 
export business that is theirs for the 
asking, and 

To propose a plan of concerted 

action to direct at lowest possi- 
ble cost all Foreign buyers to those 
houses whose products are Standard 
in America, and bv reason of whose 
excellence the export trade may be 
retained when obtained. 



Commercial 
Expansion 

TWO VIEWS 



EUROPE 

<<*#** * j t jg a mistake t0 

regard Germany as Great Britain's chief 
rival. The fact is, it is the United 
States before whom Great Britain, as 
well as Germany and France, will 
soon have to strike their colors. * * * *" 
— Sir Charles Dilke. 

London, January, igoi. 



AMERICA 
<<#**=* W/- e j^yg proceeded in 
the progress of our development until we 
have expanded far beyond our own 
markets commercially, and we are 
breaking into every market in the 
world. It is a part of our economic 
development. We are marching fast 
toward the economic supremacy of the 
world. * * * * " 

— Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. 

Washington, January, igoi. 



<<*### A n ci there is the same 
complaint that our form and methods 
of advertisement are inadequate * * * * 
Let me * * * express the sorrowful 
surprise I felt at finding that as a 
nation we were falling short in the arts 
of advertisement. * * * the whole 
age is an age of advertisement # * * 
they are all engaged in a great Holy 
War of advertisement, and it does 
seem very hard that we should fall 
short in doing that for our goods 
which we do so successfully for our- 
selves. I hope that I shall hear no 
more complaint of the failure of our 
trades in the methods of advertise- 
ment. * * * " 

Lord Rosebery, 

At Wolverhampton, England, 
January lb, IQOr. 



THE current public press is sur- 
charged with accounts and edi- 
torial comment upon the quickened op- 
portunities for American supremacy in 
the fields of foreign trade and the first 
gentle pressure of our grasp upon the 
commerce of the world. 

The vast territories acquired at the 
conclusion of the war with Spain, the 
history-making events that are leveling 
the excluding walls of all the pent-up 
countries of both hemispheres, together 
with the present recognition by for- 
eigners of the excellence of our produc- 
tions and the effectiveness and aggres- 
siveness of our business methods, with 
the situation made additionally advan- 
tageous by fixed monetary and foreign 
policies, we are now in a position to dip 
out with buckets the sweets that hither- 
to we have but tasted with a spoon. 

England and all Europe are concerned 
and worried ; commissions have been ap- 
pointed by the various Governments to 
investigate the causes of American ad- 
vantage, and to prescribe methods to 
offset the encroachments not only into 
their export domains, but into their own 
home markets. 

With the discovery of the newly-found 
truth that we are in a situation to be- 
come the greatest commercial nation of 
the world there came to the nation* of 
Europe an apprehension so great that 

American Supremacy 7 



it prompted a series of projects for com- 
bined action, notably the plan of M. Le- 
roy-Beaulieu, which urged a general 
European economic federation as a 
measure for effective defense. 

The apprehension has become so 
marked that it borders on panic, and the 
tone of some of the more intemperate 
journals of Europe is, at times, tinctured 
with mournful prophecies intimating the 
surgical treatment of war as the ultimate 
cure for the disorder. 

A prominent Vienna newspaper con- 
siders that the commercial supremacy 
struggle between America and Europe 
will constitute the leading characteristic 
of the twentieth century; for the present, 
however, it is the impending economic 
danger, the inevitable contingency that 
threatens the people of Europe. The ex- 
traordinary development of what might 
be termed "American Commercial Sys- 
tems," if continued, will positively cul- 
minate in flooding Europe and the Euro- 
pean markets with American industrial 
products, and what is now needed is 
proper guidance and application for the 
energies now called into service. 

It is further realized by Europe that, 
owing to the almost intolerable burden 
of taxation imposed by militarism, 
America, whose national wealth shows 
an enormous and steady increase, will 
become the creditor of the whole world. 
Within the next few decades all the Eu- 
ropean States, as well as Australia, Ja- 
pan and China, will be debtors, if they 

8 American Supremacy 



do not take precautions in time to 
prevent themselves from falling into a 
state of economic dependence upon the 
new commercial world Power. 

We never before had a chance to enter 
the lists with the world-trading nations, 
so we busied ourselves within our own 
household, and it is a happy situation 
that now, when that household is be- 
coming crowded, and we can produce 
more than we can use, and it becomes 
expedient for some to glean in the outer 
fields, the opening is ripe for the venture. 

It seems incongruous, but it is true, 
that in a sense America has been as self- 
contained as China, the difference being 
that while China for so long seemed sat- 
isfied in keeping other countries out, 
America seemed satisfied to keep out — 
not only out of China, but the entire cata- 
logue of nations. They were willing to 
exclude us, and we were walling to be 
excluded; it was on our part a meek 
policy of submission that need not be 
longer suffered. 

We have now declared for commercial 
expansion. We had to do it, and we 
must needs see it through, not with a 
feverish rush, but gently and by gradual 
processes; the ground is rich and pre- 
pared to a nicety, and the seed must now 
be selected for the sowing. Few among 
the commercial houses of America know 
or realize what a pretty business export- 
ing is, and what easy and clean money 
comes from it. The consensus of opin- 
ion elicited from the comparatively few 

American Supremacy 9 



American concerns that do much for- 
eign business is that export trade is 
more profitable than domestic, and is ac- 
companied by almost absolute immunity 
from risk or loss. An invoice or bill of 
lading from the steamship company is 
almost invariably a demand upon funds 
deposited for advance payment in some 
exchange bank in New York. 

It is also true that few American 
houses are familiar with the details of 
foreign interchange, or are prepared for 
export trade, even though it were thrust 
upon them, hence prospective exporters 
would need some little guidance in the 
directions that realize the most satisfac- 
tory results. 

Meanwhile, this is the time to plant 
the seed, and while it is germinating and 
sprouting and growing to maturity, 
make your preparations to harvest the 
fruit and fill your orders. Orders may 
not come for some months, but they can- 
not ever come until you introduce your- 
self and your wares; it is highly impor- 
tant to begin now, and begin aright. 

Xow is the tide in the affairs of this 
nation, which, taken at its flood, will lead 
on to fortune. We have just been recog- 
nized in a commercial expansion sense as 
a people: let us now be introduced as 
individuals. There is a conviction abroad 
that we have good things over here. Let 
us tell exactly what they are. and from 
whom they may be obtained. 

No strong, combined effort has ever 
been made before, and now is the time, and 
this is the way to do it. 

io American Supremacy 



Interest in the plan to be unfolded is 
deeply aroused, and the importance of 
its fulfilment is incalculable. Diplomatic 
and Consular advice was extensively 
used, and much assistance was contrib- 
uted through the courtesy of the officers 
of the State Department at Washington, 
D. C, and it promises to be a more ef- 
fective agency for multi-national trade 
than any exhibition system ever devised. 
A position of strategic advantage has 
been taken, and it required all the years 
of our past national life to possess it. 
Let us now follow up the advantage with 
a series of quick, effective blows that 
will make the conquest signal and last- 
ing. 

The whole world having been gener- 
ally informed that we know how to make 
things better than any other people, let 
us now furnish particulars and direc- 
tions that will prove it to their satisfac- 
tion and to ours. 

You who are recognized in America 
as producers of the best in your line will 
be given an opportunity to tell foreign 
buyers and consumers — millions of 
them — just who makes the best products 
in your line, and it can be done by hand- 
ing them your card, and done in a way 
that conveys the prestige of high cre- 
dentials and inspires confidence. 



American Supremacy I £ 



Our Vantage Ground. 

In a speech delivered in the Senate 
January 7, 1901, Senator Lodge, of Mas- 
sachusetts, touched, in a stirring man- 
ner, upon the position of advantage now 
held by us and the contingency of com- 
mercial supremacy. Continuing his ad- 
dress, which was introduced by certain 
Philippine resolutions under discussion, 
he said: 

* * * I would like in a very 
few words to call the attention of the 
Senate, in connection with this matter, 
to the situation in which this country is 
to-day. We have proceeded in the pro- 
cess of our development until we have 
expanded far beyond our own markets 
commercially, and we are breaking 
into every market in the world. 
It is a part of our economic develop- 
ment. We are marching fast toward the 
economic supremacy of the world. Mr. 
President, look at Europe and compare 
it with the United States — Europe, a 
small continent, thrust out like an out- 
spread hand from the great Asian con- 
tinent into the waters of the Atlantic and 
the Mediterranean, made up of peninsu- 
las, broken up into small States. 

"It has been worked over for a thou- 
sand years at least by men in the endeav- 
or to draw out all its resources. It was 
a poor continent at best, compared to 
the others, and it has been worked for 
centuries. Now, look at ours. Here we 
are, holding all the best part of the 
North American continent, all in the 
temperate zone. Look at your map, a 

12 American Supremacy 



great, symmetrical country, all under 
one flag, all under one roof, no separate 
governments, your railroads running 
in steady connections and carrying 
freight from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 
and from the Lakes to the Gulf. That 
means the greatest saving of cost in 
transportation imaginable. Europe 
could not meet it. It is impossible. 

"Every separate State system, every 
separate railroad that she has, enhances 
the cost of her articles. Her mines are 
old. Ours are but just opened. We are 
beating her in all the great products. We 
have beaten her already in iron and 
steel. We can turn them out at a price 
which Europe cannot meet. We are go- 
ing to surpass her in other articles. She 
will have to take her coal from us. It 
is a mere question of time when her last 
stronghold, the carrying trade, will be 
invaded. Already we can make steam- 
ship plates cheaper than she can make 
them. Only the other day I read in the 
newspapers that we had taken a contract 
in Glasgow for steel plates for commer- 
cial steamships against all competitors, 
and we underbid them £50,000 on that 
one contract. We have taken it, and 
there are to-day in Glasgow fourteen 
furnaces, they say, damped down. What 
happens there will happen in the carry- 
ing trade. We shall build ships cheaper 
than they do. We shall in some way or 
another offset their subsidies to their 
steamships by our subsidies and put our 
ships on an even plane of competition. 

American Supremacy 13 



Thus we shall invade their last great 
stronghold. 

"Mr. President, before our eyes is a 
splendid picture of the industrial future 
of this country. I believe it is inevitable 
— that the great economic forces are all 
working that way. But does anyone 
suppose that the other people like it? 
They are gasping for breath in parts of 
Europe. They are struggling every- 
where to get an opening for an over- 
crowded population, for an overproduc- 
tion. That is why they have seized Af- 
rica. That is why they have seized the 
islands of the Pacific. China got into 
trouble, and in a moment the European 
nations thought that there would come a 
new division, and that they could all get 
in there and find economic relief. It 
has been stopped. The Chinese Empire 
is going to be held together and its mar- 
kets opened, I believe, to all the nations 
of the world; and I do not think I say 
anything improper or that I boast un- 
duly when I say that it was owing to the 
United States that that policy was adopt- 
ed instead of the other one. It is a great 
policy. We believe in it; we are all in 
sympathy with it; but do you suppose 
the other countries like it? I doubt it 
very much. 

"Anyone who has read the newspa- 
pers lately will have noticed that in the 
Vienna papers and elsewhere there has 
been continual talk about an economic 
federation to shut out the United States 
from Europe. * * * 

14 American Supremacy 



* * * In other words, they feel 
the economic pressure which we are 
putting upon them. They are feeling it 
more and more every day. They will try 
to meet us undoubtedly in the great field 
of economic rivalry. I believe that with 
our resources, with the character of our 
people, with our new country, with our 
great continent, the victory can only be 
with us, and that there can be but one 
end to that conflict of economic forces. 

* * * Now, Mr. President, we 
occupy a great position economically. 
We are marching on to a still greater 
one. You may impede it, perhaps, by 
legislation; you may check it; but you 
cannot stop the work of the economic 
forces. You cannot stop the advance of 
the United States. 

"We may blunder here in the legisla- 
tion which we may pass for this thing or 
that thing, but the American people and 
the economic forces which underlie all 
are carrying us forward to the economic 
supremacy of the world." 



American Supremacy 15 



Secretary of State John Hay on 
American Trade Supremacy. 

On January 29 last President Mc- 
Kinley sent to Congress the following 
letter from Secretary Hay, transmitting 
reports on the commercial relations of 
the United States with foreign coun- 
tries: 

"Department of State, 
"Washington, Jan. 26, 1901. 

"The President: In accordance with 
Section 208 of the Revised Statutes, I 
have the honor to transmit 'The Com- 
mercial Relations of the United 
States with Foreign Countries 
During the Year 1900/ being 
the annual and other reports of a com- 
prehensive character from the consular 
officers, together with similar reports 
from some of the diplomatic officers, 
upon the industries and commerce of 
foreign countries. 

"These reports were prepared, under 
special instructions from this Depart- 
ment, with the object of laying before 
Congress, with the least delay, a prac- 
tically contemporaneous statement of 
the trade, not only of the United States 
with the rest of the world, but of the 
various countries with each other. This 
object, I am happy to be able to say, 
has been accomplished, the date of 
transmission to Congress this year hav- 
ing been advanced over the usual time 
by a month, and realizing the utmost 

16 American Supremacy 



conditions of promptitude compatible 
with a proper analysis of the latest re- 
turns for the year 1900. So gratifying 
a result indicates continued improve- 
ment in the activity and zeal of our con- 
sular officers, as well as in the system 
of publishing and distributing the re- 
ports. 

"It may be said, indeed, that, while 
a variety of propositions have been 
under discussion for the improvement 
of the consular service, the service, to a 
very considerable extent, improves 
itself, and is winning frequent expres- 
sions of commendation from business 
interests which have received substan- 
tial aid, not only from the published re- 
ports, but also from the individual ef- 
forts of consular officers to meet the 
growing requirements of American in- 
dustry and enterprise. 

"The practical character of the com- 
mercial information obtained by our 
consuls and the celerity with which it 
is given to the public, continue to ex- 
cite the emulation of foreign govern- 
ments, and during the past year steps 
have been taken by both Great Britain 
and Germany to engraft these features 
of our consular work upon their con- 
sular systems. 

"The general conclusion to be drawn 
from a survey of the conditions in for- 
eign countries, as described in the re- 
ports herewith presented, is that the 
United States is approaching even more 
swiftly than was expected a position of 

American Supremacy iy 



eminence in the world's markets, due 
to superior quality and greater cheap- 
ness of many lines of its manufactures, 
which must work great economic 
changes and may result in shifting the 
center not only of industrial but of com- 
mercial activity and the money power 
of the world to our marts. 

"The trade indications of American 
supremacy during the past year have 
been so marked that many foreign in- 
dustries, according to the reports of our 
consuls in Europe, are introducing 
American machinery and labor-saving- 
appliances and remodelling their factorv 
methods, and we may expect in the near 
future a more strenuous competition, 
for which it is important we should pre- 
pare ourselves. 

"As an aid to such equipment the 
study of the great mass of information 
as to foreign industries and trade con- 
ditions which are to be found in the two 
volumes of 'Commercial Relations' will 
obviously prove most useful to our 
manufacturers and exporters, and I 
therefore recommend that Congress be 
requested to authorize, as was done last 
year by the passage of the concurrent 
resolution of April 10, 1900. the print- 
ing, under the direction of the Depart- 
ment of State, of a special edition of 
10.000 copies of the 'Review of the 
World's Commerce,' to be distributed 
by this department as the daily, monthly 
and special consular reports are now 
distributed, and of 5,000 copies of 

18 American Supremacy 



'Commercial Relations,' to enable the 
department to meet requests for the en- 
tire work. Respectfully submitted, 

"John Hay." 



In comparison with this letter it is 
noteworthy to read the recent speech of 
Lord Rosebery at Wolverhampton, in 
which he declared that the industrial and 
commercial outlook for Great Britain 
was dark and gloomy, also the wide- 
spread confirmation of his fears as ex- 
pressed in many English papers. 



American Supremacy 19 



The American Danger. 

No. 934 of the Advance Sheets of the 
Consular Reports, printed January 14, 
1901, reviews an article in a Hamburg 
(Germany) paper, entitled "American 
Danger," which speaks of our "gigantic 
strides toward conversion from an agri- 
cultural to an industrial nation," and 
concludes with the declaration that 
America must be fought with its own 
methods. "Manufacturers as well as 
merchants must go to America, and send 
thither their assistants and workingmen, 
not merely to superficially observe the 
methods they employ, but to study them 
thoroughly; to adopt them and wherever 
possible to improve upon them, just as 
Americans have done and are still doing 
in Europe." 



20 American Supremacy 



Commerce of the World in 1899. 

The following table shows the im- 
ports and exports of all countries for 
which statistics have been received by 
the Bureau of Foreign Commerce: 

Imports. Exports. 

United States $798,845,571 $1,275,499,671 

United Kingdom.. .2.360,619,989 1,604.388,674 
France (special 

commerce) 813,909,950 752,534,406 

Germany 1 ,308,013,014 983,561 ,266 

Belgium (special 

commerce) 406,817,945 342,072,621 

Greece 1 12,349,054 7,231,119 

Italy 2 253,596,134 229,417,170 

Austria-Hungary.... 328,191,890 390,191,900 
Switzerland (special 

commerce) 3 153,001,485 134,232,690 

Russia 1 148,834,485 134,232,690 

Canada 4 152,021,058 154,083,650 

Mexico 4 50,869,194 64,946,246 

Costa Rica 4 4,258,896 5,659,218 

Arg'tine Republic 3 . 87,670,900 117,617,780 

British Guiana 4 6,582,778 8,523,318 

Uruguay 3 19,251,397 25,156,754 

British India 4 276,045,752 384,414,796 

Japan 5 86,738,587 87,831,878 

Straits Settlements 1 . 57,937,064 51,073,664 

Cape Colony 5 63,174,083 103,989,567 

Natal 6 19,534,914 6,521,864 

Lourengo Marquez 1 6,401,272 1,496,737 

Madagascar 1 1,621,319 465,094 

x Six months of 1899. 
2 Eleven months of 1899. 
3 Nine months of 1809. 
4 Fiscal year 1898-99. 
5 Ten months of 1899. 

6 Nine months of 1899 for imports; six 
months of 1899 for exports. 

American Supremacy 21 



. . . The progress in extending 
the sales of American manufactures in 
the strongly competitive markets of Eu- 
rope has continued unchecked, except 
in the few instances where the quality of 
goods has been sacrificed to cheapness, 
and the word 'American' seems to be 
rapidly attaining a world-wide celebrity 
as indicating excellence and superior 
utility in many lines of goods. . . ." 
Frederick Emory, 
Chief, Bureau of Foreign Commerce, 
Department of State, 

Washington. 



22 American Supremacy 



Past Decade of American For= 
eign Commerce. 

Very significant, indeed, are the fig- 
ures showing the remarkable change 
and growth of our foreign commerce in 
the ten years ending December, 1900, 
The figures of the Treasury Bu- 
reau of Statistics show that imports, 
which in 1890 were $823,397,762, were 
in 1900 $829,052,116, an increase of less 
than one per cent, in the decade, while 
the exports, which in 1890 were $857,- 
502,548, were in 1900 $1,478,050,854, an 
increase of 72.4 per cent. In 1890 the 
excess of exports over imports was 
$5,654,390, in 1900 it was $648,998,738. 

In our trade relations with the various 
parts of the world, the change 
is equally striking. From Europe we 
have reduced our imports in the decade 
from $474,000,000 to $439,000,000, while 
in the same time we have increased our 
exports from $682,000,000 to $1,1 11,- 
000,000. From North America imports 
fell from $151,000,000 in 1890 to $131,- 
000,000 in 1900, while our exports to 
North America increased during that 
time from $95,000,000 to $202,000,000. 
From South America the imports in- 
creased from $101,000,000 in 1890 to 
$102,000,000 in 1900. while to South 
America our exports increased from 
$35,000,000 to $41,000,000. From Asia 
the imports into the United States in- 
creased from $69,000,000 in 1890 to 
$123,000,000 in 1900, while to Asia our 

American Supremacy 23 



exports in the same time increased from 
$23,000,000 to S61, 000,000. From Oce- 
ania the importations in 1890 were $23,- 
000,000, and in 1900 were $23,000,000, 
while to Oceania our exports in 1890 
were $17,000,000, and in 1900 $40,000,- 
000. From Africa importations in- 
creased from S3.ooo.000 in 1890 to $9,- 
000,000 in 1900. and exportations to 
Africa increased from $4,500,000 in 
1890 to $22,000,000 in 1900. 

The changes in the movements to and 
from the continents are due to two great 
causes: First, the increase in home 
manufactures which were formerly 
drawn chiefly from abroad; and second, 
the diversification of products, by which 
markets are made for many articles 
which formerly were produced or ex- 
ported in but small quantities. From 
Europe, to which we were accustomed 
to look for manufactures, our imports 
have fallen over $35,000,000. while Eu- 
rope has largely increased her con- 
sumption of our cottonseed oil, oleomar- 
garine, paraffin, manufactures of iron 
and steel, copper and agricultural ma- 
chinery, as well as foodstuffs and cotton, 
our exports to that grand division hav- 
ing increased $428,000,000 since 1890. 
From North America the imports have 
fallen $20,000,000, due chiefly to the fall- 
ing off of sugar production in the West 
Indies, the imports from Cuba alone 
having decreased from $54,000,000 in 
1890 to $27,000,000 in 1900. To North 
America the exports have increased 

24 American Supremacy 



meantime over $100,000,000, the growth 
being largely manufactures and food- 
stuffs, a considerable portion of the lat- 
ter being presumably re-exported 
thence to Europe. 

From South America the imports 
have increased in quantity, especially in 
coffee and rubber, but decreased propor- 
tionately in price, so that the total in- 
crease in value in the decade is but a 
million dollars, while in exports the in- 
crease is $6,500,000, chiefly in manufac- 
tures. From Asia the importations have 
increased more than $50,000,000, the in- 
crease being chiefly in sugar and raw 
materials required by our manufacturers, 
such as silk, hemp, jute and tin; while to 
Asia the increase in our exports has 
been nearly $40,000,000, principally in 
manufactures and raw cotton. From 
Oceania the imports show little increase, 
though this is due in part to the absence 
of statistics of importation from Hawaii 
in the last half of the year 1900; while to 
Oceania there is an increase in our ex- 
ports of more than $20,000,000, chiefly 
in manufactured articles. From Africa 
the increase in imports is $6,000,000, 
principally in manufacturers' materials, 
of which raw cotton forms the most im- 
portant item, while our exports to Af- 
rica increased meantime $17,000,000, 
chiefly in manufactures. 

The following tables show the imports 
and exports of the United States by 
grand divisions in the calendar years 
1890 and 1900. In the figures showing 

American Supremacy 25 



the distribution by continents in 1900 
the December distribution is estimated, 
though the grand total of imports and 
exports for 1900 is based upon the com- 
plete figures of the Bureau of Statistics. 

EXPORTS. 

1890. 1900. 

Europe $682,585,856 $1,111,456,000 

North America 95-517-863 202,486,000 

South America 34.722.122 41.384,000 

Asia 22,854.028 60.598,000 

Oceania 17,375-745 39-956,ooo 

Africa 4,446.934 22,170,000 

IMPORTS. 

189O. 1900. 

Europe $474,656,257 $439,500,000 

North America 151,490.330 131,200,000 

South America 100.959.799 102.000.000 

Asia 68.340,309 122.800,000 

Oceania - 23,781.018 23,400,000 

Africa 3.169.086 9.900.000 



26 American Supremacy 



Past Year of World Commerce. 

Even more significant are the figures 
obtained from the Treasury Bureau of 
Statistics, and which show the amazing 
increase of our export trade during the 
year L900. compared with the export 
trade of other countries. 

The table that follows shows the im- 
ports as well as the exports of the prin- 
cipal countries of the world during such 
parts of the year as can be shown from 
the latest available data (Feb, 1st), and 
compares the same with the correspond- 
ing months of the preceding year, thus 
presenting a picture of the growth of the 
world's commerce in the present year as 
compared with that of the preceding- 
year. The table which thus presents the 
latest available data for the current year 
necessarily includes only those countries 
which publish monthly or quarterly 
statements of their commerce. 

A comparison of the commerce of the 
principal countries of the world with 
that of the United States in 1900 and of 
the growth or reduction of their com- 
merce with our own development dur- 
ing the year presents some facts of espe- 
cial interest in considering the develop- 
ment of our own commerce in the year 
and century just closed. 

Taking the countries in their alpha- 
betical order as arranged in the table, 
the facts presented are as follows: 

Argentina — The imports of nine 
months ending with September. 1900, 
are $84,400,000, against $84,197,000 in 

American Supremacy 27 



the corresponding months of 1899, while 
the exports of nine months ending with 
September, 1900, are $118,230,000, 
against $113,501,000 in the correspond- 
ing months of last year. 

Austria-Hungary — The imports of 
ten months ending with October, 1900, 
are $280,887,000, against $270,170,000 in 
the corresponding months of last year, 
and the exports of the ten months end- 
ing with October, 1890, are $317,954,000, 
against $310,013,000 in the correspond- 
ing months of last year. 

Belgium — The imports of ten months 
ending with October, 1900, are $337,- 
721,000, against $344,335,000 in the cor- 
responding months of last year, and the 
exports of ten months ending with Oc- 
tober, 1900, are $282,456,000, against 
$290,965,000 in the corresponding 
months of last year. 

Canada — The imports of three months 
ending with September, 1900, are $47,- 
736,000, against $43,699,000 in the cor- 
responding months of last year, and the 
exports of three months ending with 
September, 1900, are $53,023,000, 
against $43,994,000 in the corresponding 
months of last year. 

Egypt — The imports of eight months 
ending with August, 1900, are $40,523,- 
000, against $33,165,000 in the corre- 
sponding months of last year, and the 
exports of eight months ending with Au- 
gust, 1900, are $50,821,000, against $40,- 
908,000 in the corresponding months of 
last year. 

28 American Supremacy 



France — The imports of ten months 
ending with October, 1900, are $703,- 
888,000, against $716,102,000 in the cor- 
responding months of last year, and the 
exports of ten months ending with Oc- 
tober, 1900, are $647,074,000, against 
$651,666,000 in the corresponding- 
months of last year. 

Germany — The imports of nine 
months ending- with September, 1900, 
are $952,019,000, against $952,014,000 in 
the corresponding months of last year, 
and the exports of nine months ending 
with September, 1900, are $714,060,000, 
against $714,023,000 in the correspond- 
ing months of last year. In the case of 
Germany alone, specie and bullion are 
included in this statement. 

British India — The imports of five 
months ending with August, 1900, are 
$92,018,000, against $93,324,000 in the 
corresponding- months of last year, and 
the exports of five months ending with 
August, 1900, are $126,888,000, against 
$144,006,000 in the corresponding- 
months of last year. 

Italy — The imports of ten months 
ending with October, 1900, are $248,- 
169,000, against $239,331,000 in the cor- 
responding months of last year, and the 
exports of ten months ending with Oc- 
tober, 1900, are $210,857,000, against 
$222,109,000 in the corresponding- 
months of last year. 

Mexico — The imports of two months 
ending with August, 1900, are $9,561,- 
000, against 88,485,000 in the corre- 

American Supremacy 29 



sponding months of last year, and the 
exports of two months ending with Au- 
gust, 1900, are $11,052,000, against $10,- 
423,000 in the corresponding months of 
last year. 

Portugal — The imports of five months 
ending with May, 1900, are $28,274,000, 
against $24,380,000 in the corresponding- 
months of last year, and the exports of 
five months ending with May, 1900, are 
$14,593,000, against $13,625,000 in the 
corresponding months of last year. 

Russia — The imports of six months 
ending with June, 1900, are $144,441,000, 
against $148,834,000 in the correspond- 
ing months of last year, and the exports 
of six months ending with June, 1900, 
are $146,065,000, against $134,269,000 in 
the corresponding months of 1899. 

Spain — The imports of nine months 
ending with September, 1900, are $119,- 
495,000, against $124,972,000 in the cor- 
responding months of last year, and the 
exports of nine months ending with 
September, 1900. are $98,831,000, 
against $102,189,000 in the correspond- 
ing- months of last year. 

Switzerland — The imports of nine 
months ending with September, 1900, 
are $157,107,000, against $161,405,000 
in the corresponding months of last 
year, and the exports of nine months 
ending with September. 1900, are $117,- 
706,000, against $111,037,000 in the cor- 
responding months of last year. 

United Kingdom — The imports of 
eleven months ending November, 1900, 

30 American Supremacy 



are $2,322,663,000, against$2, 162.377,000 
in the corresponding- months of last 
year, and the domestic exports of eleven 
months ending with November, 1900, 
are $1,303,440,000, against $ r, 180.720. - 
000 in the corresponding months of last 
year. 

United States — The imports of eleven 
months ending with November, 1900, 
are $760,451,507, against $728,233,577 in 
the corresponding months of last year, 
and the exports of domestic merchan- 
dise of eleven months ending with No- 
vember, 1900, are $1,308,929,330, against 
$1,131,537,910 in the corresponding 
months of last vear. 



American Supremacy 31 



Reputation of American Goods. 

A recent advance sheet of Consular 
reports, issued daily by the United 
States Government, contains a letter 
from Rufus Fleming, our Consul at 
Edinburgh, in which he states that fur- 
ther observation confirms the opinion 
previously expressed that "generally 
speaking, it is considered in Scottish 
communities that to say an article is 
American is to commend it." 

An illustration of this is afforded in a 
paragraph in a British trade journal to 
the effect that a Scotchman who had in- 
vented a mechanical device complained 
to a friend that he could not dispose of 
it, although it was an excellent thing; 
whereupon the other ingenious Scot 
advised him to advertise it "as the latest 
American invention," which he did, ef- 
fecting a sale in a short time and at a 
good profit. 

Lately there have been many such 
straws borne on the breeze, and they 
all indicate the reputation for excellence 
that is being earned for American goods 
abroad. 

The figures furnished by the Treas- 
ury Department at frequent intervals 
during the past few months tell a story 
that is much more interesting than those 
usually told by statistics. It is indeed 
interesting to read that we are exporting 
far more than we are importing, for it is 
a gratifying assurance that other people 
are paying us far more than we are pay- 
ing them; that the balance of trade in 

32 American Supremacy 



favor of the United States for the year 
1900 stands at about 649 millions, better 
by 173 millions than in 1899; and, by the 
way, this brief statement expresses the 
real significance of many pages of for- 
midable statistics in column array. 

It is certainly gratifying, but it need 
only be the index of what is possible, 
only a promise of what is assured if we 
are wise enough to profit by our advan- 
tages. It would seem to the superficial 
reader that we had already obtained the 
mastery over our competitors, but it is 
a fallacy to assume it; export supremacy 
appears within our reach, but it is far 
from grasped. Stupendous as the fig- 
ures appear they are only comparatively 
so; they exhibit a pronounced better- 
ment, but there is plenty of room for im- 
provement, as is witnessed by the fol- 
lowing summarized statement: 

In 1890 the combined export trade of 
all of Europe compared with the export 
trade of the United States was roughly 
expressed as 7 is to 1. In the year 1900 
the combined export trade of Europe 
similarly compared and expressed was 
as 4 is to 1 ; thus North America sold for 
export only one-fourth as much as Eu- 
rope in 1900. 

The total export trade of Europe is 
indeed an ambitious yard stick with 
which to measure our export business, 
but it is the only one to use in estimating 
the value of foreign trade, for all the 
countries of Europe are our rivals 
(and some may later combine) in the 

American Supremacy 33 



competitive mart of the world's trade, 
and we know better "where we are at" 
when we are confronted with the true 
situation. 

Avoid Overconfidence, 

Although we have reached an altitude 
where the vista stretches in almost 
boundless extent and no obstacles ap- 
pear in sight to block our way into the 
land of promise; although our prospects 
are most encouraging and seem to jus- 
tify almost an absolute assurance that 
the day is approaching when we shall 
be recognized as the greatest commer- 
cial power since the deeds of man were 
first recorded, let us not be vainly over- 
confident. 

The earnest intent of this little book 
could be called into question if it did not 
direct serious attention to the inevitable 
contingency of extraordinary opposition 
which the stronger nations will seek to 
bring to bear upon our further advance. 
Let us not allow that condition of men- 
tal lethargy that is the logical conse- 
quence of an "enlarged cranium" to 
cloud our judgment and lessen our ener- 
gies. We must not be spoiled by praise, 
temulent with flattery, nor lax after suc- 
cess. 

The great Emperor, whose magic in- 
itial "N," enclosed within the circlet of 
laurel leaves, is seen to-day throughout 
the length and breadth of France, sur- 
viving even the impulsive caprices of a 
people vacillating from monarchial to 

34 American Supremacy 



republican governments, once instruct- 
ed his secretary never to awaken him for 
the purpose of imparting good news, but 
to arouse him in case of bad news, for 
then it was necessary to act. 

We must not assume that other na- 
tions will sit by and twirl their thumbs 
while we are arranging to enter their 
markets and take their trade. They will 
make many efforts to offset the advan- 
tages we now enjoy. They like to see 
our productions in their exhibitions, but 
not in their markets: they profit from 
our exhibits, but they lose by our or- 
ders. By many, international exhibi- 
tions are regarded as symbols of peace, 
but far-seeing economists regard them 
as signals of approaching war — commer- 
cial war — not with resort to powder 
and guns, but the more potent weapons 
of printing press and typewriter, the am- 
munition of over-produced commodities 
skilfully directed with the energy of 
competition, a war of master minds 
flushed with the success of local con- 
quest and eager for battle in the open 
plains of the world — a strife for suprem- 
acy in the marts of international trade. 
We must be alert to every changing 
phase and prepare for every notable 
eventuality, we must practically illus- 
trate the philosophical definition of life, 
and be in almost perfect harmony with 
the environment. 

Organization will be the initial effort 
of our competitors, and it is the impell- 
ing idea of the plan proposed in this 

American Supremacy 35 



book. It is admitted that we now have 
the advantage in the matter of generally 
superior products with prices that con- 
form to the nicely adjusted scale of 
equivalents. What is now incumbent 
upon us to do is to carefully select those 
goods that are pre-eminently meritori- 
ous and introduce them, trusting to the 
satisfaction they will give for continu- 
ance of the business started. 

The problem of introduction is most 
effectively solved by advertising, 
and the most economical and strong- 
est advertising is obtained by a 
federated plan of organization as out- 
lined herein. When executed such a 
plan will accomplish all that is expedient 
to do at this time, particularly if the or- 
ganization is informed from reliable 
sources, and its members are kept post- 
ed upon sequacious matters that become 
vital to the maintenance of results. 



36 American Supremacy 



Methods vs. Institutions. 

The Berlin correspondent of the New 
York Sun writes: There is assuredly 
no lack of encouragement here for the 
inquirer into opportunities for American 
trade. . , . America has been, and 
is every day, teaching Germany, and if 
America does not improve herself at the 
same time she will be eventually dis~ 
tanced here. She will be like the peda- 
gogue whose star pupil, after learning 
from him everything he can teach, sets 
up for himself and takes away his 
teacher's pupils. 

Whether Germany recognizes her 
debt to America for what Amer- 
ica has taught her seems 
doubtful. A story is told in Ber- 
lin which would go to show that she 
does not, or at any rate that the spirit of 
quid pro quo is not very strong. A manu- 
facturer in America who was thinking of 
starting business in Germany, not so 
very long ago, received a visit from some 
German gentlemen. They expressed a 
wish to go over his factory and study 
American methods. 

Expecting to make friends that might 
one day be useful to him in Germany, he 
acquiesced, showed them all they want- 
ed to see, answered all their questions 
frankly, and made them as much at 
home as possible. The Germans went 
away, time passed, and the day came 
when the American manufacturer pre- 
sented himself in Germany. 

He naturally looked to be received 

American Supremacy 37 



with open arms. So he was, but it was 
with closed office and factory doors, for, 
though there was no want of hospital- 
ity and good-fellowship, when it came to 
business, to essentially necessary infor- 
mation and aid of many kinds, he found 
his German friends suddenly struck 
dumb, suddenly inactive, suddenly inter- 
ested in anything at all save the visitor's 
business; in the opera, or the war, or the 
political economy of the Japanese. Such 
cases, of course, may be exceptional; 
probably they are, but the possibility of 
their recurrence ought not to be forgot- 
ten. This is not to preach the doctrine 
of retaliation. It is only to advocate 
prior understanding. . . . 

. . . Method is to commerce what 
strategy is to war. . . . 

What method should the American 
adopt in Germany? 

It is not an easy question to answer 
when it comes to saying in what exact 
form the experiment should be tried. 
Consul-General Mason, in one of his re- 
ports, mentions four forms. . . . But 
these forms of the method are not what I 
wish to deal with. It is the method itself, 
or, rather, the spirit in which it is to be 
applied. Shall that spirit be the Amer- 
ican spirit, or shall it be the German? 

From what has been said by way of 
simile above, it might be supposed the 
method to apply was the German 
method. On the contrary, the answer 
given everywhere here is — the Amer- 
ican. Xor is the recommendation so 

38 . American Supremacy 



unnecessary as may appear, for many 
American firms have come to grief 
through trusting to German methods, 
or, rather, the German spirit. The Ger- 
man method in the home market is slow, 
traditional, expects the buyer to seek the 
seller and not the seller the buyer, and, 
above all, lacks the essential quality of 
the American method — enthusiasm, 
based on knowledge. ... Of course 
the moving spirit must be American, and 
not only American, but cosmopolitan. 
This is a very delicate point, but a little 
plain speaking will not be intolerable, es- 
pecially as I only report what Amer- 
icans themselves have said to me. Many 
Americans, beginning in Germany, start 
out with the idea that what is good for 
America is good for all the world, Ger- 
many included, and that American insti- 
tutions, points of view, habits, morals, 
and manners, are better than anything of 
the same kind in Germany or elsewhere. 
It would be absurd to say the idea is uni- 
versal, but it exists, particularly among 
young Americans whose home-born love 
and pride of country, splendid and grati- 
fying as it may be, in and for America, is 
yet apt to prevent them seeing that other 
countries — France and Germany — and 
Italy, for examples — have institutions, 
standpoints, habits, morals, and man- 
ners peculiar to themselves, and found- 
ed, even as many of these things in the 
United States are founded, on centuries 
of trial, on climatic necessities, intellec- 
tual needs and tendencies, geographical 

American Supremacy 39 



position and surroundings, and a thou- 
sand other considerations. 

Accordingly, the German institutions, 
standpoints, habits, morals and manners, 
must be accepted and respected. More- 
over, Germany has laws, and she takes 
good care that they are obeyed. A 
young Englishman lately questioned in 
the usual searching way by the police 
about his parents and movements, called 
the system "dumm," stupid — that is 
English for "unnecessary" or "unintelli- 
gible." He was summoned for disre- 
spect, and if, acting on the advice of the 
British authorities, he had not gone to 
the police headquarters and made an am- 
ple apology, he would most certainly 
have spent three or four weeks in jail. It 
is in the understanding and respect for 
other countries' ways that cosmopolitan- 
ism largely consists, and the American 
merchant or manufacturer who does not 
endeavor to understand German ways 
and learn what the German laws are be- 
fore embarking on his enterprise is fore- 
doomed to failure. . . . 



40 American Supremacy 



Open Door Policy 

At the instance of the United States 
Secretary of State, the governments of 
France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, 
Japan, and Russia have consented to aid 
in maintaining an "open-door policy" 
in China. Each government agrees: 

First. That it will in no way interfere 
with any treaty port or vested interests 
within any so-called "sphere of interest" 
or leased territory it may have in China. 

Second. That the Chinese treaty 
tariff of the time being shall apply to 
all merchandise landed or shipped to all 
such ports as are within said "sphere of 
interest" (unless they be free ports), no 
matter to what nationality it may be- 
long, and that duties so leviable shall be 
collected by the Chinese Government. 

Third. That it will levy no higher 
harbor dues on vessels of another na- 
tionality frequenting any port in such 
"sphere" than shall be levied on vessels 
of its own nationality, and no higher 
railroad charges over lines built, con- 
trolled, or operated within its "sphere" 
on merchandise belonging to citizens or 
subjects of other nationalities trans- 
ported through such "sphere" than shall 
be levied on similar merchandise 
belonging to its own nationals trans- 
ported over equal distances. 



American Supremacy 41 



The Siberian Rail-way. 

It is generally believed that this great 
engineering project will contribute vast 
assistance in the development of inter- 
national relations, and a quotation, 
translated from a Siberian paper — the 
"Sibirski Listok"— may be of interest to 
readers, for ultimately it will have much 
bearing upon the subject of American 
export trade: 

"In the haste of construction and the 
anxiety to get everything cheap on both 
the Siberian and the Trans-Baikal lines, 
a special kind of light rails, weighing 12 
pounds to the foot, instead of the usual 
24 pounds to the foot, was used. Wood- 
en bridges were built wherever it was 
possible and crossings were made far 
apart. Under such conditions quick 
traveling on the road is almost an im- 
possibility, and more than 20 miles an 
hour cannot be made. Only one passen- 
ger and two freight trains a day are run. 
To add to the danger they have put on 
the line one of the heaviest engines in 
existence — the compound system. The 
light weight of the rails, the steep in- 
clines, and the high gradings combined 
make traveling risky. On steep inclines 
the compound runs at a rate of 50 versts 
(33 miles) an hour, turning the rails out, 
and there is no way of stopping it. At 
the station of Polovinoy, eleven cars 
were thus destroyed. 

"In such a condition do we find the Si- 
berian Railroad at the present time. 
Fast traveling is impossible, as the rails 

42 American Supremacy 



are too light, while, on the other hand, 
slow traveling can not be always con- 
trolled, as the heavy engines can not be 
held back on the inclines. The commit- 
tee of Michalovski have come to the 
conclusion that everything must be re- 
constructed. But this will cost a great 
sum of money — on the Trans-Baikal 
line alone there will have to be spent not 
less than 15,000,000 rubles ($7,725,000), 
almost 50 per cent, of the entire cost of 
the line; on the whole Siberian Railroad 
there will have to be spent not less than 
50,000,000 rubles ($25,750,000). The 
light-weight rails must be put aside and 
wooden bridges turned into firewood; 
everything must be rebuilt and the num- 
ber of stations increased." 

And this from the "Dalny Vastok": 
"Opinions about the Great Siberian 
Railroad vary widely; we think that its 
general plan is excellent, but there is 
room for improvement. . . . 

. . The general cost of the 
Great Siberian Railroad is estimated to 
be 350,000,000 rubles ($180,250,000), in- 
cluding 118,000,000 rubles ($60,770,000) 
for the construction of the Amur line 
from Stretinsk to Khabarofsk, which 
project has been changed by the build- 
ing of the Manchurian line. The last 
will cost 100,000,000 rubles ($51,500,- 
000). It is true that the Manchurian 
Railroad is constructed by a joint stock 
company, but as most of the shares are 
in Government hands the greater part 
of the money must come from the Gov- 
ernment treasury. 

American Supremacy 43 



"The cost of one mile of railroad is 
calculated at about 35,000 rubles ($18,- 
025) for the West Siberian division; 50,- 
000 rubles ($25,750) for the Trans- 
Baikal and Ussurian line. The con- 
struction of the railroad in North Amer- 
ica under similar circumstances cost a 
great deal less than the above-mentioned 
sums, and yet these are calculated for 
1 891. The real cost will be probably 
increased to about 40,000,000 rubles 
($20,600,000) more, or 67,000 rubles 
($34,505 per mile, for the Trans-Baikal 
line. . . ." 

Americans have already commenced 
to trade even in remote Siberia, as the 
following item from the Paris "Moniteur 
Officiel des Commerce" will show: 

. . . The commerce of the 
United States with Vladivostok has con- 
siderably increased. In 1897, 12,641 
tons of American goods entered, against 
3,180 tons in 1896. Exporters of Amer- 
ican wood have established a permanent 
agency at Vladivostok. Wood from 
Oregon is used in the construction of 
the Manchurian Railway. The work 
on this branch is divided into three sec- 
tions, and is carried on systematically 
without interruption. The work is con- 
trolled by Russians, the coolies having 
Cossacks for overseers. American lo- 
comotives will soon be passing over the 
rails. A Belgian syndicate has obtained 
the monopoly of the restaurants and 
hotels to be established along the whole 
line of the road. A United States firm 
has the contract for the cartage of ma- 
terials for the road, and has established 
a branch office at Niuchwang. . . ." 

44 American Supremacy 



Sewing Machines, Typewriters, 
E,tc. 

The following table will show how 
widely sold are such staple commodi- 
ties as sewing machines, typewriters, 
telephones, and electrical instruments, 
etc. This information is obtained for 
the Treasury Department, and the 
"Gotham" paper that "shines for all'' so 
reviews the situation: 

"The destination of the articles of 
American manufacture, and especially 
of our machinery, is literally to every 
part of the world. Our sewing ma- 
chines, typewriters and scientific instru- 
ments go to Asia, to Africa, and to the 
islands of Oceania, and, what is more 
remarkable, they go to experienced Eu- 
rope, with all her facilities for manufac- 
turing and her skilled workmen. Of 
the $6,788,000 worth of instruments for 
scientific purposes, including telephone 
and telegraph instruments, over one 
million dollars' worth went to the 
United Kingdom alone, nearly a million 
dollars' w r orth to France, and a half mil- 
lion dollars' worth to Germany. The 
United Kingdom and Germany each 
take over a million dollars' worth of our 
sewing machines out of a total exporta- 
tion of $4,500,000 w T orth. Over a mil- 
lion dollars' worth of typewriters actu- 
ally went to the United Kingdom, and 
a half million dollars' worth to Ger- 
many. Of the total exportations of 
builders' hardware, amounting in value 
to $9,782,402, over two million dollars' 

American Supremacy 45 



worth went to the United Kingdom, 
nearly a million dollars' worth to Ger- 
many, about a half million dollars' worth 
to France, and another million dollars' 
worth to other European countries. Of 
the $10,895,416 worth of steel rails ex- 
ported in 1900, over a million dollars' 
worth went to Europe, and nearly four 
million dollars' worth to British North 
America. 

The following table gives the exports 
of scientific instruments, sewing ma- 
chines and typewriters in the calendar 
year 1900, as compiled from the Decem- 
ber statement just issued by the Treas- 
ury Bureau of Statistics: 

Sewing Type- Scientific 
Exported. Machines, writers. Inst'm'ts. 

U'td Kingdom. $1,071,903 $1,081,307 $1,623,426 

France 134,598 188,497 937,948 

Germany 1,019.300 503,934 500,316 

Other Europe. 393-807 496,339 830,004 

Central Am. . . . 37,53^ 4.303 67,562 

Brit. No. Am. 171,313 60,375 200,523 

Mexico 343,437 72,507 351,886 

Santo Dom. ... 8,178 1.070 

Cuba 121,803 43,417 330,3i6 

Other W. Ind. 27,376 6,016 

Argentina 206,232 30,487 302,692 

Brazil 106,259 8,942 216,497 

Colombia 7,912 1,883 

Other S. Am.. 178,085 31,908 247,452 

Chinese Em're. 7,508 6,014 56,095 

Brit. E. Ind. . . 14,765 ^-3,7^5 

Japan 20,671 17-179 33i,i66 

Brit. Aus'sia... 567,755 95.829 323,005 

Phil. Isl'ds.... 385 18,167 24,282 
Other Asia and 

Oceania 28,777 14,820 239,590 

Africa 12,289 36,548 i44,S8i 

Other coun's.. 30,332 3,128 61,597 



Totals $4,510,221 $2,736,435 $6,788,938 

46 American Supremacy 



KEE,P OFF THE. SHOALS ! 

A Warning from E,nglish Labor 
Troubles. 

An English correspondent of one of 
the leading dailies of New York charges 
to the British workman the great re- 
straint put upon the English trade, ar- 
raigning him as the chief and most im- 
placable enemy of his own best inter- 
ests and those of his country, in his 
stupid efforts to restrict production. 

It is not necessary to explain that a 
day's wages is an utterly false and mis- 
leading unit of measure of the cost of la- 
bor. It is fairly obvious on the other hand 
that payment by amount and quality of 
work accomplished is a true and equi- 
table system of remuneration. How hap- 
pens it, then, that the wage system is al- 
most universal in England, while piece- 
work is the more usual system in the 
United States? 

Most English manufacturers say they 
would much prefer to pay by piece- 
work. The British workman will have 
none of it, and he is strong enough to 
impose his will upon his employer. The 
responsibility seems to be upon the 
workman, and his motives appear to be 
unworthy ones. Not so. The blame 
rests chiefly upon the employer, and it 
is his policy which has been shortsight- 
ed and stupid. 

His stupidity is best demonstrated by 
a concrete example. A manufacturer in- 
troduces the piece-work system on a 

American Supremacy 47 



basis that will perhaps save him a trifle 
when compared with the average output 
of his men working at fixed wages. 
The best workmen easily double their 
earnings, and that without working 
hard. 

The firm soon says these men are 
making too much money. They were 
well enough paid before, and our rates 
are too high, they declare. So the price 
of piecework is cut. The ambitious 
among the men may increase their ef- 
forts and earn more than the old day 
wage at the reduced rate, whereupon 
the shortsighted employer cuts the price 
again. 

Such folly may be inconceivable to 
American manufacturers, who pursue 
the opposite policy of encouraging good 
men to make large incomes, but pre- 
cisely the above experience has been 
gone through over and over again in 
this country (England) until the British 
workman, through his trades unions, 
has flatly refused to submit to 
the piece-work system in near- 
ly all branches of industry. Now 
that a great crisis has arisen, Eng- 
lish manufacturers would probably be 
only too glad to adopt the American 
policy with regard to piece-work, but 
they can no longer command the oppor- 
tunity. 

Even in shops where the piece-work 
system does prevail, and they are very 
few, the workmen are so afraid of a cut 
in rates that they will not permit any of 

48 American Supremacy 



their number to earn more than a slight 
advance on ordinary day wages. If 
work is found to be progressing too 
rapidly they "mark time," "hang on," 
"nurse the job" — terms thoroughly un- 
derstood in the British industrial world. 

No man understands the compara- 
tive industrial conditions of the United 
States and Great Britain in their prac- 
tical aspects more thoroughly than 
Hiram Maxim — Sir Hiram, as his Eng- 
lish friends are now proud to call him. 
He has put his common-sense views of 
the situation recently in the form of an 
interview, which the readers of this cor- 
respondence will be glad to peruse, in 
spite of the fact that his ideas are prac- 
tically identical with those I have ex- 
pressed in earlier letters upon the sub- 
ject: 

"The reason why the Americans and 
the Germans are getting ahead of us," 
he said, "is because there is no proper 
understanding and sympathy in Eng- 
land between the master and his men. 

"The strained feeling is altogether ar- 
tificial. It is promoted by the trades 
union leaders. When I had a little place 
in Hatton Garden and employed about 
forty or fifty men I treated them just the 
same as I wouid have treated Ameri- 
cans, and I think all my men liked me. 

"When we extended our works, and 
instead of employing fifty men, em- 
ployed a thousand or so, trouble began. 
The trades union men were constantly 
looking about for an excuse for striking. 

American Supremacy 49 



There was no grievance, and they ad- 
mitted it. They set themselves to manu- 
facture one, and some of the complaints 
they made were very ridiculous indeed. 

"One of the most serious troubles we 
had to contend with was what they 
called the 'rating' of work. Parts of a 
gun were taken into a neighboring 
grog-shop, and the men would decide 
how much time should be taken over 
each particular piece. Once decided, it 
was impossible ever to increase the out- 
put. 

"I remember a little piece which per- 
haps weighed about three-quarters of an 
ounce. When single guns were made 
those pieces were cut out of the solid 
steel and filed into shape. The men 
rated that piece at a day and a quarter. 

"Our trade advanced. We got orders 
for large numbers of guns, and we be- 
gan to make those pieces on a milling 
machine. The men adhered to the old 
rating, and actually spent a day and a 
quarter on each piece after it had been 
milled. 

"One day a German, who spoke no 
English, came along. He was a profes- 
sional filer, and we gave him some of 
them to do. His first day's production 
was thirteen. 

"In a textile factory one girl runs 
from six to eight looms, each one re- 
quiring more attention than a milling 
machine or a lathe. Still, when we com- 
menced to make guns it was impossible 
to get a man to work more than one ma- 
chine. 

50 American Supremacy 



"I took our foreman to Paris and 
showed him thirteen milling- machines 
being worked by one girl, and four 
lathes by one man. 

"At that time I was being black- 
guarded to- some extent by the trades 
union leaders. I wrote a letter to John 
Burns. I told him I had been to Paris 
and had seen one man working four 
lathes. I said: 'Suppose I buy two of 
these lathes and bring this man over to 
England, would he be allowed to work 
them both? Or would an Englishman 
be allowed to work the two? In other 
words, is a man allowed to do half a 
day's work in England? Mr. Burns did 
not see his way to reply to the letter. 

"It often occurs in England, I have 
noticed, that if a man on piece-work 
does more than a certain amount of 
work his employers diminish the price. 
All that the man makes, therefore, is 
the privilege of working harder. In 
the States, on the contrary, when a man 
increases the output of a machine he 
actually receives in some shops a pre- 
mium. 

"I was once asked to address a club of 
young men here in England. I pointed 
out that England does not raise enough 
food to support her population; that we 
can only secure it by mechanical work ; 
that it was the greatest mistake in the 
world to limit the output of machinery 
when all the world was against us; and 
that artificial restrictions on output 
would not give jobs to more men, but to 

American Supremacy 5 1 



fewer, inasmuch as the trade would, to 
a large extent, be driven away alto- 
gether. 

"The following night the same young 
men were called together and a trades 
union orator explained to them that my 
doctrines were 'all rot/ and that if a man 
ran two machines instead of one he took 
the bread out of another man's mouth. 
I was told that that orator succeeded in 
completely dissipating the heresies I 
had preached. 

"When I lived in the great Republic 
I found that Englishmen were just as 
good as anybody else. When an 
Englishman had been in the States three 
weeks he could do just as much as any 
Yankee that ever lived. It is not a ques- 
tion of any physical difference. 

"In the States every man attempts to 
do as much as he can. He tries to beat 
the others. In England every man tries 
to do as little as he possibly can — to 
make the job last, as they say. 

"If England is to maintain her place 
in the world, and retain the trade she 
has got, it will be necessary to enforce 
certain laws with a good deal more 
vigor than has been done recently. If it 
were known that when a strike occurred 
the men would be absolutely prevented 
from interfering with other men they 
would be very chary about entering 
upon a strike. 

"A man comes to England to start a 
new business. He finds cheap coal, 
cheap freights, and, what is most impor- 

52 American Supremacy 



tant of all, free trade. He finds that he 
can get any number of unskilled hands 
at a sovereign a week. They will even 
pay a premium to get the situations. 

"Very soon a professional agitator ap- 
pears among the men, and they strike 
for higher wages. The master reflects 
that there is plenty of labor in the mar- 
ket, and that his work does not require 
much skill; so he hires a new lot. 

"But he finds that all the approaches 
to his works are occupied by the strik- 
ers, armed with clubs. The men assume 
that they have a vested right in the 
works, that they can demand any price 
they like, and that the employer has no 
right to go beyond them and purchase 
labor at its market price. 

"There are too many restrictions 
placed upon doing business in England. 
The result is that many Englishmen pre- 
fer to invest their money in foreign 
countries. 

"If the Government wishes England 
to retain and increase her trade, let it 
cease the placing of so many restrictions 
on business and let it see that employers 
are no longer bullied by their men." 



American Supremacy 53 



Leaders in the Race. 

Xot one of the countries whose ex- 
ports exceed their imports shows an 
excess approaching that enjoyed by the 
United States, and nearly half our im- 
ports are now such tropical and oriental 
products as sugar, coffee, tea and spices, 
and such materials as silk, hemp and 
wool. 

England can export nothing but her 
manufactured products, and the United 
States can make these more cheaply, be- 
cause the raw materials are all at hand 
in abundance. 

It would seem that the supremacy 
contest had now narrowed down to 
three competitors, England, Germany 
and the United States, with France 
somewhat in the rear, but in very plain 
sight. Germany to-day appears to be 
our most formidable rival, but it is pos- 
sible that England is deploying her en- 
ergy in war and that France may be 
quietly preparing for a great spurt, but 
at present it is certain that the trade en- 
ergies of America and Germany are in- 
creasing to England's detriment. 

England's strongest advantage is in 
her possession of ships, Germany's in 
her cheap and educated labor, while 
America has the natural resources and 
inventive energy; but it is a significant 
truth that trade supremacy cannot be 
definitely obtained without the acquire- 
ment by one power of the individual ad- 
vantages in possession of the other two, 
in addition to those of her own. The 

54 American Supremacy 



statement generally but definitely nam- 
ing" the superior points of advantage 
which each country enjoys is admitted 
to be correct by the economic author- 
ities of each of these countries, and its 
admission, together with the acknow- 
ledged recognition that we already have 
excellent and constantly improving 
methods of manufacture, and are mak- 
ing progress in the extension of our 
shipping facilities, all certainly accord to 
America a more encouraging promise 
than to the others. 

Our course is now clearly indicated. 
The keynote has been deeply sounded, 
we have the true pitch- and we compre- 
hend the theme; let the music begin, and 
let not the harmonies be disturbed by vi- 
brations from the ''concert of Europe!" 
The course for us is one easily within 
our ability to pursue, and it is briefly ex- 
pressed in 



Three National Requirements. 

First — Development of natural re- 
sources that are already ours, but 
either only partially or wastefully de- 
veloped. 

Second — Development of industrial 
economy, by the improvements upon 
our manufacturing methods, and the 
avoidance of labor difficulties. 

Third — Development of our merchant 
marine by the construction of many 
ships with subsidy encouragement. 

American Supremacy 55 



Views of Our Consuls. 

Mr. John Goodnow, the American 
Consul-General at Shanghai, recently 
said to an interviewer: "What China 
needs are four things. The first three 
are American ideas, American ideas, 
and American ideas. The fourth is 
American trade." 

Mr. Goodnow knows the Chinese peo- 
ple, has studied their characteristics, and 
has closely applied himself to the work 
of bringing American commercial in- 
terests in closer relation with the Chi- 
nese nation, and was succeeding admir- 
ably up to the time of the recent out- 
break. 



Mr. S. C. McFarland, American Con- 
sul at Nottingham, England, writes: 
"English discussion of the American 
commercial invasion continues to grow 
more pointed and frank. Hardly an is- 
sue of the leading English papers ap- 
pears without reference to American 
competition in some lines. . . . and 
economic writers are kept busy attempt- 
ing to find acceptable explanations for 
American success. . . . Hosiery ex- 
ports a few years ago were very large. 
They are now comparatively small, and, 
as shown in previous reports, are con- 
stantly declining in volume; and to cap 
the climax, American goods are actually 
selling at retail in this market. As this 
is the home of the British industry, it is 
not astonishing that such a fact should 

56 American Supremacy 



come as a shock to natural British pride. 
. . . A few years ago large quan- 
tities of boots and shoes were exported 
to the United States. Now, not only are 
there no exports, but enterprising 
American firms have actually opened re- 
tail stores here, while much of the ma- 
chinery used is of American make." 

Mr. McFarland also calls attention to 
the growing market for enormous 
quantities of American fruit now being 
shipped into England, speaks of the re- 
cent institution of a line of fruit vessels 
by Canadians, and advises us to consider 
the advantages to our fruit shippers that 
would result from their consolidation to 
meet the features of this competition. 



Mr. Frederick Narhod, American 
Vice Consul at Leipzig, Germany, writes 
a long letter in which he reviews from 
his point the matter of German vs. 
American exports and industries. He 
quotes from prominent authorities in 
Germany who warn Germans to be on 
the qui vive, apprehending no great dan- 
ger from the immediate present, but pre- 
paring for the future by imitating the 
Americans not only in activity, but also 
in methods of manufacturing. Mr. Nar- 
hod states that he has found through 
his commercial observations "that al- 
though the import of American articles 
of manufacture into Germany is regard- 
ed with fear by some of the Germans, a 

American Supremacy 57 



larger part of the people rather welcome 
their importation on account of their 
good quality at relatively low prices, and 
also bring their products to the high- 
est possible point of perfection." 



Consul Dillingham, writing from 
Auckland, sends the following, the facts 
set forth in which, he says, apply to 
Australasia in general, and they show the 
relative condition of German vs. United 
States trade in that remote quarter 
of the globe. "The German Consul-Gen- 
eral at Sydney reports to his home Gov- 
ernment that the Australasian market 
has been largely taken possession of by 
American industry. Last year," he says, 
"the colony of Xew South Wales was 
flooded with American goods, and this 
has continued through the current year 
without interruption. Furthermore, he 
records the remarkable fact that the 
gain of American business has been 
made for the most part at the expense 
of German trade. The following is a 
comparison of the imports from Ger- 
many and the United States for the past 
six years: 

Year. Germany. United States. 

^345,364 $1,680,714 £542,427 $2,639,721 

425.697 2,071,654 624,268 3,038.000 

690.843 3,361,987 1,729,871 8,418,417 

900,464 4.382,108 1,877,877 9,138,688 

771,626 3.755,118 2,602,964 12,667,422 

856,032 4.165,880 2,219.319 10.800.316 



1894- • 
1895.. 
1896.. 

1897.. 
1898.. 
1899- • 



Consul Haynes writes from Rouen, 
France: 

58 American Supremacy 



''The French palate, so sensitive and 
so highly educated, knows nothing of the' 
delicacy of frozen dainties. There -is an 
open field throughout the most of France 
for everything connected with the prep- 
aration of cool drinks. Ice cream freez- 
ers, milk shakers, soda water fountains 
and refrigerators would find a ready sale 
here if people knew of the comfort to be 
derived from their use. The Frenchman 
has for generations innumerable liked 
his hot wine and hot rum and hot punch; 
but he has never thought of, or at least 
has never cared to try, the effects of an 
opposite sensation upon his palate. This 
city of over 150,000 people has no ice 
factory, though a few people keep ice in 
their cellars. If the French were given 
an opportunity to try them, they would 
not be long in entering the market for 
ice cream, ice shavers, electric fans and 
kindred articles, and the American who 
introduces them would, without doubt, 
put a considerable amount of money in 
his own pocket." 



From Switzerland, Consul-General 
Du Bois writes that one can now buy 
American watches in Berne, American 
ham and bacon in Basle, and that Swiss 
horses sleep on American straw. Amer- 
ican hardware fills the shop windows; 
American shoes are in popular demand, 
and everywhere are striking evidences 
of the increased export of American 
wares. 

American Supremacy 59 



Consul General J. G. Stowe, located 
at Cape Town, South Africa, writes that 
American meats are in high favor, and 
makes the following suggestions: 

"I would again call attention to the 
canned salmon trade of England. Fresh 
salmon is worth in England 2s. 6d. (60 
cents) per pound. Thousands of cans of 
Alaska salmon are exported from the 
United States to England, rebranded, 
and sold as English salmon at an ad- 
vance of from 6d. to 8d. (12 to 18 cents) 
per dozen tins. The same may be said of 
hams. I am informed that nine-tenths 
of the well-known English hams are of 
American production, cured in England. 
Not until the United States manufactur- 
ers insist upon their own brands being 
placed on tins of salmon and export 
hams cured to suit foreign taste will 
they derive benefit that is their due." 



Consul Bartleman calls attention to 
the scarcity of coal in Russia. Foreign 
coal may now be imported free. Amer- 
ica is being called upon to supply the 
deficit, and cargoes from America have 
begun arriving. 



Consul Kenneday, of Para (Brazil), 
speaks of the strong hold that American 
manufactures have gained in the States 
of Para and the Amazonas within the 
past two years. Business in northern 

60 American Supremacy 



Brazil is in a prosperous condition, and 
the cities of Para and Manaos are thriv- 
ing. Our flour is popular, and our 
canned goods are finding a market. 
Sales of hams, bacon, and lard are in- 
creasing; drugs are gaining a foothold, 
and the demand for typewriters and sew- 
ing machines is growing. 



Consul-General Bowen at Teheran, 
Persia, writes: "Great Britain and Rus- 
sia, rivals for supremacy in the Persian 
trade, exercise their energy, ingenuity, 
and foresight to supply the bazaars and 
markets with a variety of articles which 
could as well be made at home. 

"The heavy transit levied duties by the 
Russian custom-house on all foreign 
goods passing through the Caucasus 
practically close that route to all impor- 
tations from western countries. With this 
means of access barred, and the addi- 
tional distance taken into considera- 
tion, United States trade must labor un- 
der serious difficulties, and can not ex- 
pect to compete with other sources of 
supply on equal terms. Persians are, 
however, fond of novelties, and many of 
our ingenious contrivances should find 
a sympathetic market — for instance, 
photographic and electric lighting ap- 
paratus and steam and other pumps are 
becoming appreciated. Clocks, lamps, 
and locks of American manufacture, and 
canned goods, though not imported di- 

American Supremacy 61 



rectly, are sold in the foreign stores. If 
Russia could be induced to reduce the 
transit duties to reasonable terms, we 
could send agricultural implements and 
machinery, carriages, drugs, and gen- 
eral stores with a prospect of good 
profit." 



Consul Lane, of Smyrna., reports that 
there is in process of preparation an ex- 
position of American manufactures, 
which will doubtless result in much good 
to American trade. 



Consul-General Lincoln, at Antwerp. 
Belgium, says: 

Imports from the Lnited 
States in 1898 were valued at $58,498,- 
000. showing an advance of 31 per cent. 
over those for 1897. Exports to the 
United States decreased over $1,500,- 
000; the total amounted in 1898 to $9,- 
958,800. They showed a decrease in 
the lines of sugar, raw textiles, hemp, 
and flax, woolen textiles, glassware, 
arms, metals, etc. . . ." 

When it is seen that the imports 
from Belgium's next door neighbor, 
France, for that year amounted to six 
million dollars less than those from 
America, it would seem that our prod- 
ucts were in most encouraging demand. 
Imports from America were first in 
importance, France second, with Eng- 
land and Germany very close together 
as third and fourth. 

62 American Supremacy 



Consul Roosevelt, of Brussels, how- 
ever, points out that England and Ger- 
many control many lines of trade, such 
as cutlery, shoes, tools, hardware, ma- 
chinery, railway material, clocks, stoves, 
etc., in which we should have a good 
share. Most of these articles, he says, 
are imitations of American products. 



Consul WinsloWj of Liege, says 
that American machinery has been 
placed during the last year to a consid- 
erable extent in his district and the out- 
look for 1900 is bright. 



A story even more pleasing than that 
from Belgium comes from France. Con- 
sul-General Gowdy, of Paris, gives the 
special commerce in 1898 with the chief 

countries as: 

Imports. Exports. 

United States $120,316,000 $40,472,000 

England 97,445,000 197,168,000 

Germany 64,462,000 76,042,000 

The Consul-General calls attention to 
the fact that, both in general and special 
commerce, imports from the United 
States lead those of other countries. 



The German story is still more opti- 
mistic. Consul-General Mason writes 
from Berlin: "Economic writers of all 
creeds in Germany are amazed by the 
unexampled growth of American ex- 
ports, especially of manufactured prod- 
ucts, during the past three years, and 

American Supremacy 63 



they argue that a fiscal policy which has 
entailed such results in the United 
States could not fail to be equally advan- 
tageous to Germany, and there is now a 
demand, more general and imperative 
than at any time hitherto, that the new 
German tariff which has been formu- 
lated after years of careful scientific 
study, and will come before the Reich- 
stag during the latter part of this year, 
shall embody a general and marked in- 
crease of duties, especially upon articles 
of import from the United States. . . 

" . . . The value of German ex- 
ports to the United States during the 
calendar year 1898 was $77,700,000, 
while imports to the Fatherland from 
our country during the same twelve- 
month were, according to the best at- 
tainable statistics, $163,800,000, a differ- 
ence of $86,100,000, which lies heavily 
on the hearts of the agrarians and a 
large class of writers and speakers. 



In the first six months of 1899 the 
United States assumes first place in im- 
ports to Japan, with a value of $10,191,- 
000; British India follows, having sent 
goods amounting to $10,027,000; Great 
Britain comes third, with shipments of 
$8,789,000; China comes fourth, Ger- 
many fifth, and France sixth. 

In the line of locomotives, however, 
imports from the United States show a 
serious decrease, and Consul Lyon, of 
Hiogo, Japan, urges our manufacturers 
to make greater efforts to hold the field. 



&' 



64 American Supremacy 



Consul Listoe, of Rotterdam, Hol- 
land, writes of the heavy demand for 
American steel. Our hardware and ma- 
chinery have gained a firm foothold in 
the country. One of the principal deal- 
ers in these lines has for the last four 
years annually doubled his trade with 
the United States. He expresses the 
opinion that in a short time only Amer- 
ican hardware will be used in the 
Netherlands. Stationery supplies are 
also in evidence, and furniture is being 
introduced. 



In Russia, however, the United States 
is only third in the matter of foreign 
merchandise purchased by the Russians, 
Germany leading us by about sixty-five 
million dollars, and England the second 
in importations, leading us by over fifty 
million dollars. Consul-General Hollo- 
way, of St. Petersburg, writes that Rus- 
sia buys chiefly from America machin- 
ery and machine tools. . . . The bi- 
cycle trade shows signs of drifting to 
America ; that is to say, so far as cheaper 
cycles are concerned. Good British 
wheels still find buyers at £20 ($97), but 
those who can not afford to pay this 
price (and their number is very large) 
purchase American cycles at £13 10s. 

($67). 

Typewriters and weighing machines 
all come from America, and sewing ma- 
chines are chiefly supplied by Germany. 

In Spain our products in 1899 were 
fourth in importance, while in Norway 
and Sweden they were at the extreme 
bottom of the list among the imports 

American Supremacy 65 



from the principal countries, so it is ap- 
parent there is a large chance for im- 
provement in those countries. 



Vice Consul-General Hanauer, of 
Frankfort, sends the following: 

"The Austro-Hungarian consul-gen- 
eral at Rio de Janeiro, in a report to his 
Government, calls the attention of his 
countrymen to the favorable chances of 
selling pianos in Brazil. He says: 
'French pianos are well introduced here, 
but these instruments have of late deteri- 
orated in their quality. After two or 
three years' use their sound becomes un- 
bearably metallic. Nor is sufficient re- 
gard paid to the hot and moist climate. 
Still, for want of better instruments and 
because the French article has been well 
advertised, they continue to meet with 
ready sale at high prices. . . ." 

It would seem that inasmuch as 
American pianos are known to be the 
best made, any manufacturer who would 
take the pains to build his instruments 
so that they would better conform to 
the climatic peculiarities of Brazil would 
reap satisfactory results from his efforts 
to introduce them. 



The few Consular letters quoted from 
could be augmented by a number suf- 
ficient to fill several hundred pages. 
They bear upon the significant oppor- 
tunities now ripe for the exploitation of 
almost every variety of product for the 
industrial houses of America, and in 
scores of instances urge Americans to 
try for the trade that they assure them 
is most easily acquired. 

66 American Supremacy 



WE LEAD THE WORLD 



After this publication was put upon 
the press a late report was received from 
the Treasury Department, a report of 
such great importance that the book was 
delayed until it might be included. 

The United States Now Stands at the 
Head of the Exporting Nations. 

The complete figures for the calendar 
year 1900, when compared with those 
of other nations, show that our exports 
of domestic products are greater than 
those of any other country. The total 
exports of domestic merchandise from 
the United States in the calendar year 
1900 were $1,453,013,659; those from 
the United Kingdom, which has hereto- 
fore led in the race for this distinction, 
were $1,418,348,000, those from Ger- 
many, $1,050,611,000, and those from 
France $787,000,000. 

Additional interest is given to the first 
rank which the United States now holds 
as an exporting nation by the fact that 
a quarter of a century ago she stood 
fourth in that list. In 1875 tne domes- 
tic exports of the United States were 
§497,263,737; those of Germany, $607.- 
096,000; those of France, $747,489,000. 
and those of the United Kingdom. 
Si. 087,497, 000. 



American Supremacy 6~ 



One Hundred and Ninety Millions 
for Ship Hire ! 

What must strike the American, when 
learning that we lead the world to-day 
in the matter of export trade (particu- 
larly when he realizes that England, the 
supreme marine nation, has been over- 
taken), is the situation that we are so 
illy equipped to carry our own ducks to 
market that we have to engage ships 
from almost every nation that sails the 
seas. Is it any wonder that Congress 
has been urged to offer some premium 
upon capital to be employed in carry- 
ing this enormous tonnage to fill our ex- 
port orders. Unfortunately, there has 
gone up a grand chorus from Dan to 
Beersheba that the proposed Subsidy 
Bill is nothing more than a steal. Why 
cannot serious attention be given to this 
most important measure — how impor- 
tant can be shown in a few words — why 
are means not adopted to preclude the 
possibility of misappropriated moneys, 
so that we might have ships enough to 
deliver our purchases? Consider this 
statement: We paid last year to the 
owners of foreign ships almost $190,- 
000,000 to carry away the goods we 
sold for export. This is about 8 per 
cent, of all the money in the United 
States, and the drain is a serious one. 
Certainly 5 per cent, of the whole, or 
almost $10,000,000, is the actual loss to 
us. If we can save this sum it will be 
possible to further reduce our prices in 

68 American Supremacy 



the more desperate competition into 
which we must ultimately enter. It is re- 
markable that, in other matters, so alert. 
we are in this so remiss. Other nations 
realize it; we have almost weekly evi- 
dence of it. Just before going to press 
a letter from Consul Monaghan. of 
Chemnitz, tells the following story: 

"The Hansa Steamship Company of 
Bremen purposes to establish a line 
of steamers from Xew York to South 
America and East India; and, with this 
end in view, nine large vessels have been 
ordered. The promoters of the enter- 
prise believe that they will be able to 
successfully compete with the English 
lines running to all parts of India and 
Africa. The undertaking is a gigantic 
one, and is the result of years of thought. 
In addition to these plans, it is pro- 
posed by the same company to establish 
a line from New York to Mexico and 
the West Indies." 



American Supremacy 69 



A Surface Scratch Only. 

While the official reports satisfy the 
American reader that the amount of our 
exports exceed the imports by hundreds 
of millions of dollars and that during the 
past decade our export orders have con- 
siderably more than doubled, yet it is 
only an index, a low denomination of 
what is possible to do within the next 
few years. At intervals we have heard 
reports about the sale of American lo- 
comotives for use in some foreign coun- 
try, or a contract for a bridge to be 
built in Africa by an American firm, or 
of certain shipments of cotton, wool, 
food products, pianos or firearms, but 
how surprisingly few of us know of any 
concern within the scope of our obser- 
vation or acquaintance that has made 
or tried to make a foreign market for 
the sale of its product! An item that 
illustrates in an amusing manner the in- 
frequency with which we encounter our 
goods in the shops abroad, as well as a 
cheerful confusion of America's expand- 
ing geography, is this clipping from the 
Evening Sun (X. Y.) of January 10: 

" 'American Bazar,' in huge letters 
over a shop in Alexandria, Egypt, at- 
tracted the attention of an American. 
Curious to know what kind of goods 
might be for sale, he entered and asked 
the proprietor if he were an American. 
In French came the answer: 

' 'Yes, I am an American.' 

" 'From what part of America?' 

" 'Buenos Ayres.' 

70 American Supremacy 



" 'Do you keep American goods for 
sale?' 

: 'Yes, certainly, I have American 
goods/ 

' 'What kind of goods?' 

"Whereupon the shopkeeper took 
from a shelf an article which he handed 
to the visitor with the remark, 'These 
are the only American goods we have 
at present.' 

"The 'American goods' consisted of 
a single fountain-pen!" 



The business of every concern in 
America whose goods and whose prices 
are right may be swelled by the ad- 
dition of export orders, if a properly 
advised method is followed at this junc- 
ture. 

Orders are ours for the asking. A 
man who is to buy is more timid than 
the man who is to sell, so we must make 
the proper advances ourselves; 
strangers are waiting to be told just 
zvJw make certain kinds of goods, where 
they are made, and how they may get 
them. 

The real significance of the great ex- 
port proposition to-day is in its personal 
appeal to every commercial house in 
America, for personal interest and per- 
sonal effort are what will make national 
supremacy in trade, which, when ob- 
tained, is the surest guarantee of our 
future independence. 



American Supremacy /i 



Inauguration Echoes. 

On March 4th. 1901. when President 
McKinley took for the second time his 
oath to "preserve, protect and defend 
the Constitution of the United States," 
he assumed jurisdiction over a country 
far greater in geographical extent than 
any other President ever before inaug- 
urated: over a world power that became 
so almost as in a night: over the su- 
preme commercial nation of the globe. 

During his address, and having in 
mind the importance of even greater de- 
velopment and broader commercial re- 
lations, he said: 

"Our diversified productions, how- 
ever, are increasing in such unprece- 
dented volume as to admonish us of the 
necessity of still further enlarging our 
foreign markets by broader commercial 
relations. For this purpose reciprocal 
trade arrangements with other nations 
should in liberal spirit be carefully culti- 
vated and promoted." 

A great number of foreign journals 
commenting the next day upon the in- 
auguration ceremonies stated that the 
marvelous tide of prosperity and splen- 
did commercial successes attending the 
last administration are the more signal 
because they seem to promise still great- 
er advantages to national industry in the 
near future. 



72 American Supremacy 



Want To, But How? 

So many business houses have writ- 
ten, asking for a feasible plan of strong 
advertising in foreign countries, that it 
became a problem on which more study 
was given than almost any other 
branch of the advertising business. 
The letters are in evidence, and here is 
a specimen: 

A camera concern writes, under date 
of January 12, asking ''How much ad- 
vertising in England, Germany, France, 
Austro-Hungary, Norway, Sweden, 
Denmark, Holland and Belgium may be 
obtained for from $150 to $250 a 
month?" adding that they do not wish 
to spend much money until after results 
are seen. When it is considered that 
there are surprisingly few periodicals 
published in each of those countries, 
compared with the number published in 
America, and that the rates in 
the high class mediums are very 
high, it is discouraging to a concern to 
learn how little space may be obtained 
for $250 a month, distributed over the 
countries named, and how insignificant 
and obscure a little one-inch advertise- 
ment, solitary and unvouched, appears 
on a page of miscellaneous large and 
small advertisements. 



American Supremacy 73 



Getting Foreign Trade. 

How Not to Do. 

Many truths are established more 
satisfactorily and convincingly by nega- 
tive reasoning than otherwise. It has 
cost most of the American commercial 
houses now doing export trade a large 
amount of money before they learned 
how to introduce their products to the 
foreign consumer. A vast sum has been 
spent for the lessons learned by them 
in the expensive classes of experiment, 
and the knowledge obtained by their ex- 
perience is now available to new stu- 
dents in this little text-book. 

The most common blunders that have 
been made by concerns seeking foreign 
orders have been in the making of 
contracts with irresponsible or unscru- 
pulous agents, who agree (or pretend) 
to carry your line, with other lines, to 
some foreign country, charging, say. 
Sioo per month as your share of his 
expenses. This scheme, even if faith- 
fully carried out. is not only disappoint- 
ing, but most expensive. If he repre- 
sents ten different concerns (and it is 
seldom fewer i and makes ten presenta- 
tions every day — quite unlikely — it will 
have cost you about S4 each time your 
business was presented. This is entirely 
too much, when it is shown that the 
same amount of money judiciously ex- 
pended would introduce your business 
to many times as many persons in thirty 
times as many countries. 

74 American Supremacy 



Other Things Not to Do. 

Enter into no proposition that re- 
quires von to appoint an American 
house exclusive export agent for your 
goods, they are entitled to commission 
only upon their own sales; nor has it 
proved a good business move to give 
any foreign agent exclusive right to sell 
your goods in any place or territory 
without absolute guarantee of satisfac- 
tory results; nor does it pay to solicit 
foreign orders from export commission 
agents — you cannot get orders from . 
them unless they get them, and if they 
do, you would get them anyhow; and it 
is money wasted to send great quanti- 
ties of catalogues to commission 
agents expecting them to post or dis- 
tribute them, for experience has proved 
that they generally do not gx> to that 
necessary expense and trouble. 

What to Do. 

The most effective method of going- 
after export orders is to send one or 
more representatives into the prin- 
cipal foreign countries, each repre- 
sentative speaking the language of the 
country he visits, and simply introduc- 
ing your house and your product to the 
notice of the prospective customer in 
the hope of attracting his attention and 
awakening his interest, and the most 
valuable representatives will be those 
who briefly introduce you to the many 
instead of going into details with the 
few. 

American Supremacy 75 



If interest is aroused, inquiries will 
follow, and you can then attend to the 
case from the home office, for the prop- 
osition is then placed on the basis of 
zvhat for how much. Of course, to fol- 
low this plan of representation would 
necessitate a very large expenditure of 
money and would not be practicable for 
many houses to adopt. 

For less than one per cent, of such a 
sum your house and your product can 
be introduced to more interested indi- 
viduals every day in all of these foreign 
countries than a representative could 
personally visit in a year — and this 
statement is based upon the ability of a 
representative to see twenty individuals 
every day in a year, compared with the 
conservative estimate that only five in 
one hundred readers of a standard peri- 
odical would be interested in similar 
matters that interest you. Furthermore, 
when a method provides for twelve such 
calls upon each individual, against only 
one call upon each on the part of a rep- 
resentative; it will be seen that the com- 
parative cost of this plan of introduction 
is reduced to less than 1-12 of 1 per cent. 
You will thus be able to tell something 
interesting to the greatest number of 
possible customers for the least possible 
cost. 



76 American Supremacy 



THE PLAN of CAMPAIGN 
A UNION OF FAMOUS 
AMERICAN STANDARDS 



Famous American Standards is a cap- 
tion listing under an appropriate title 
the foremost commercial concerns of 
America, amalgamated in one com- 
posite unit for purposes of economi- 
cal and powerful advertising, a strongly 
combined effort to gain a larger share 
of foreign trade — a united American 
army of invasion to capture the com- 
merce of the world and hold it. 

The plan is to issue a proclamation in- 
dicating what American products and 
houses are adjudged standard and re- 
liable. It will be type set in the princi- 
pal languages of the world, and flung 
from the presses of every continent on 
the globe; printed upon pages that are 
seen by the nations every instant of a 
wakeful, working day that knows no 
dusk or night for twelve long months — 
for they are pages that pace the sun in 
his track around the earth, and guide 
to your profit the stranger who reads 
in the true light of that long, unfading 
day. 

The conservative and dignified pol- 
icy that will characterize this method of 
propaganda will not. necessitate details 
of description, the intent being simply 
to indicate to other nations what com- 
modities are best produced in x\merica, 

American Supremacy 77 



and what particular houses in America 
produce the best of each such commod- 
ity. No more concentrated or vital 
form of advertising could be evolved. 
The significance of this is readily seen 
from the statement that from the long 
list of producers in each division or 
specific trade, only the proven best may 
qualify — and the scorching focus of con- 
centration will be upon those so Hall- 
marked as sterling and supreme. 

Each unit in the list gains in impor- 
tance by its association with the other 
members admitted in that list, and much 
curiosity and interest is stirred to read 
and know just which are adjudged to 
be such standards. 

The members enrolled in this federa- 
tion of advertisers will, at opportune in- 
tervals, receive gratis letters and printed 
bulletins, designed to keep them posted 
regarding export trade, such as treasury 
reports, extracts from foreign journals, 
international rulings, hints and sugges- 
tions for trade development, bids for 
contracts, also details of any movements 
on the part of foreign countries to check- 
mate the advancement of American in- 
terests. 



78 American Supremacy 



A Cerebral Impress. 

The New York Sun of January 12, 
editorially discussing the London Sat- 
urday Review's observations on the elec- 
tion of Edgar Allan Poe to the Hall of 
Fame, closes with a remark that may be 
advantageously applied to illustrate the 
effectiveness of the plan proposed in 
the publication of the Famous American 
Standards : 

"In the seeing or hearing of every 
work of art — be it poetry, music, archi- 
tecture or sculpture — memory counts; 
the artist who creates the big works of 
art trusts to the impression made by one 
portion being stored in the brain and 
added to the effect made by the other 
portions." 

This exactly defines the cogency of 
this plan of propaganda. It is a work 
that will make a brain impression, and 
that particular portion of it that relates 
to yon will, to those interested in your 
line, be stored away with the general ef- 
fect made by the other registrations in 
the list. The list will be seen by mil- 
lions. Each reader seeing it, his atten- 
tion is held until he is satisfied who it 
is that is represented in the particular 
line most interesting to him — the reader 
seeks you out of that list, as he seeks in 
a case the particular book that interests 
him most. 

You will be able by this plan to reach 
the greatest number of people who are 
interested in your production, and do 
so at a minimum of cost. 

American Supremacy 79 



Importance of Proper Mediums. 

The greatest care was exercised in 
making up the list of foreign periodi- 
cals to be used in advertisng the 
Famous American Standards, in an ef- 
fort to select those having the largest 
circulation, coupled with the essential 
element of quality in their clientele; to 
this end, not only were the advertising 
experts of America and Europe con- 
sulted, but the written opinions of for- 
eign Consuls located in America were 
obtained, and, with the assistance of the 
Diplomatic and Consular officers of the 
United States stationed abroad, addi- 
tional valuable advice was secured and 
used. The latter assistance was fur- 
thered by a general letter of instruction 
to the foreign representatives of the 
United States, issued by the Secretary, 
from the Department of State at Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

An advertisement in the periodicals 
chosen, one inch, single column, twelve 
insertions, would cost above $1,500, 
and its value as an obscure unit in a 
page of mixed large and small ads. 
would be trivial compared with the tre- 
mendous value of your name, address 
and product, under a striking caption, 
with clean, uniform, full or half-page 
display (according to the size of the pe- 
riodical), carrying with it the strong ar- 
gument for superlative excellence that 
is conveyed to the foreign reader by its 
qualification and admission to this list, 
and supplemented by the mercantile en- 
dorsement and recommendation on the 
registration page. 

80 American Supremacy 



A half-page devoted to any one house, 
and costing, perhaps, $45,000, would, 
in many ways, be less valuable to you 
than your advertisement prepared as 
planned and so vouched for, and the 
cost, compared to the equivalent ob- 
tained, is at the ratio of 1 to 1,000. 



American Supremacy 



Countries Included in the Plan. 

The plan provides for your introduc- 
tion to the best classes in about thirty 
important countries of the world. 

Your card would be presented to al- 
most every nation on earth, to an aver- 
age of over 3,000,000 every month 
throughout the year, and at a cost of 
Si. 64 a day for this service, a flat rate 
of $50 per month for the entire list. 

The publications employed will be — 
as earlier stated — only those of the high- 
est class, the selection influenced after 
consultation with posted officials from 
the various countries to be entered, aid- 
ed by our Consuls and Ministers abroad, 
and finally summarized by leading ad- 
vertising authorities in America 
and Europe. Space contracts now pend- 
ing may subject the list of periodicals to 
revision, hence it is not possible to ap- 
pend same at this juncture, but it will 
be sent if desired. 

The purpose is to enter the following 
countries : 

Great Britain. 

France, 

Germany. 

Russia, 

Italy. 

Austria. 

Hungary. 

Spain. 

Sweden. 

Holland. 

Denmark. 

82 American Supremacy 



Switzerland, 

Portugal, 

Belgium, 

Greece, 

Turkey, 

Mexico, 

Brazil, 

Argentine, 

China, 

Japan, 

Egypt, 

South Africa, 

Australia, 

Tasmania. 

India, 

Cuba, 

Puerto Rico, 

Hawaii. 

Philippine Islands. 
A very valuable adjunct that will be 
an assured sequence resulting from this 
unusual publication will be manifest in 
the great amount of free reading notices 
it will occasion, with editorial and repor- 
torial comment, not only in the periodi- 
cals publishing the register, but in the 
columns of papers on their exchange 
lists. 

This feature will supplement the plan 
with tremendous support. 



American Supremacy 83 



Qualifications and Terms. 

A plan to cross the seas and compete 
successfully for a share of the ernor- 
mons business which awaits American 
enterprise, American ingenuity and the 
high grade of American products ap- 
peals strongly to the imagination. 

The plan, however, has nothing of the 
nature of a rainbow in it. It has been 
carefully worked out. The ends which 
it seeks to compass are easily attainable 
and are within the grasp of those whose 
goods are adapted to foreign trade and 
who are sufficiently enterprising to 
reach out for their share of the world's 
business. 

In no other way is it possible to se- 
cure so tremendous a foreign audience 
in a direct, forcible and efficient man- 
ner for so little money as by the plan 
outlined in this book. It is an oppor- 
tunity which is sure to be eagerly 
grasped by a large number of our lead- 
ing manufacturers, and those interested 
are urged to give it their immediate 
consideration. 

All points is regard to the plan which 
are covered by this book will be ex 
plained to anyone interested. 

Participation in the effective plan of 
propaganda set forth is only possible for 
commercial houses of highest responsi- 
bility and repute, and the superior excel- 
lence of whose products is established 
beyond the hazard of doubt. 

Contracts will be made only with such 
houses and upon the following terms: 

84 American Supremacy 



A three-line advertisement in the form 
of a registration under the "Famous 
American Standards," each advertise- 
ment entitled to an individual classified 
heading, and the name and address of 
the house. 

If this form of card does not consume 
three lines, the remaining space may be 
used for cable address, quotation of 
trade terms, etc., or more than three 
lines may be used upon an additional 
payment, slightly lower than pro rata 
rates. 

Contracts will be made for one year 
only, providing for twelve insertions, 
one each month, and the price will be 
$50 per month for a three-line card 
in the entire list of foreign publications, 
and $15 for each extra line. 

The intent is to commence publication 
at an early date, and, as the space is nec- 
essarily limited, prompt consideration is 
urged upon those houses eligible to 
membership. 

March 12, 1901. 



American Supremacy 85 



ADVERTISEMENT 



THE ONLY PLANT 
OF ITS KIND 



THE ONLY 


PLANT 


OK 


ITS 


KIND j* j* & 


B 


y CHARL 


ES AUS'I 


IX BATES 



My business is the necessary one of 
selling goods by the use of type, ink and 
paper. 

It requires, first, a definite plan made 
to fit the business under consideration. 
The plan varies according to condi- 
tions, and the result desired just as the 
plans for a cottage and a skyscraper 
differ in design and detail. 

The ability to make a successful plan, 
either in advertising or in architecture, 
must come from training, experience, 
and, perhaps, some natural aptitude. 

A business man uses law, medicine, 
architecture and advertising, and, if he 
is wise, buys what he needs of the train- 
ing and ability of specialists in each line 
and so leaves his time and mind free for 
the practice of the things for which he 
is fitted by his own aptitude and train- 
ing. 

A good working plan secured, the 
rest is detail — but it is important detail, 
the execution of which calls for a tech- 
nical skill that is acquired only by long 
and studious experience. 

Xo matter what natural ability a man 
may have, a knowledge of types and 
inks; of engravings, electrotypes and 
presses; of drawing and painting and 
writing; of newspaper rates, circulations 

9 1 



and values, is not born with him and 
must be secured by either training or 
purchase. 

The fact that no one man can pos- 
sibly learn and know all of the details 
of all these things is the force which 
has led me to gather around me the 
staff of one hundred and ten people, 
and the equipment which now occupies 
the entire top floor and parts of two 
other floors of the same building, with 
a mechanical plant in Franklin Square 
(opposite Harper & Bros.) considerably 
larger than the offices and branch 
offices in eight leading American cities. 

My organization is the only one of 
its kind in existence. It is the only one 
headed and guided by a man whose 
business success has been caused by his 
ability and training as an advertising 
specialist. 

It is the only equipment of its kind 
in the world. 

And there is no least part of it that 
is not necessary in the operation of a 
really efficient advertising agency. 

I call it an advertising agency for 
want of a more satisfactory name. 

We do all the work of the old-style 
advertising agent, but the work that we 
do that he does not do is the most im- 
portant of all. 

His work represents twenty-five per 
cent, of the whole. 

Ours is one hundred per cent. 

We start with the proposition that 
good advertising can be profitably used 
in anv business. 



92 



Any business can be increased by 
some form of advertising. 

And advertising means more things 
than are usually considered. 

When we say advertising, we mean 
anything which brings to possible cus- 
tomers a knowledge of the facts about 
the business. This may be done by 
word of mouth, by letter, by printed 
circulars, by newspaper space, bulletin 
boards, street car cards, signs, or other- 
wise. 

The first thing to find out is the kind 
of advertising required by the business 
under consideration, and the quantity 
of such advertising that can be pur- 
chased for the amount of money avail- 
able. 

Our prospective customer knows the 
kind of business he wants, and the 
amount of cash he is willing to devote 
to its acquirement. On these facts we 
base our plan. 

Our prospective customer comes to 
us with the facts about his goods, his 
methods and his advertising appropria- 
tion. We pump him for all the informa- 
tion we can get. When we feel that 
this information is reasonably complete, 
we study the proposition and outline a 
definite plan completely, down to the 
smallest detail. 

This plan, in writing, is submitted for 
our client's approval and is then subject 
to his criticism and we are open to any 
suggestions for its betterment. 

93 



For the work so far we make a rea- 
sonable charge, and at this point our 
client is free to take his plan and have it 
executed elsewhere, or not to have it 
executed at all. 

If our plan, or a modification of it, is 
adopted, and we are given the order for 
its execution, the amount of the fee 
charged is credited on the first bill for 
work executed. 

After the plan is approved, the speci- 
fications and all the information avail- 
able are transferred to our literary de- 
partment. 

In this department fifteen writers are 

available, and the necessary writing is 
done by the one whose training best 
fits him to handle the matter in hand 
that specializes the specialty — not only 
by employing trained men to do noth- 
ing but write advertising matter, but 
by giving to each of a dozen men the 
line of work of which by reason of his 
individual temperament, training and 
experience, he is best fitted to write. 
One man knows machinery, one food 
products, one medicines, one sporting 
goods, one insurance, one the general 
merchandise of daily household use. 
Each does what he does best. 

In this department is a pretty com- 
prehensive library of books, trade 
papers, catalogues and advertising mat- 
ter of every description. It is hardly 
possible that a subject can be presented 
on which there is not on file consider- 



94 



able information. It is, in fact, rather 
unusual that a subject is presented on 
which we have not already done satis- 
factory work. 

From the literary department the 
work passes to the art department for 
illustration, if illustrations are needed. 

In this department ten artists, each 
with some particular and distinct abil- 
ity, work under the direction of a com- 
petent head. As shown in the pages of 
the leading magazines and trade papers, 
their work speaks for itself. 

The first work of the art department 
is to make preliminary pencil sketches 
which, with the literary matter, are sent 
to our client for approval or suggestion. 
Anything which at that time seems un- 
suitable or undesirable may be changed, 
or revised, or may be rejected alto- 
gether, when an entirely new substitute 
is made. 

When both matter and designs have 
been approved and our client's O. K. 
with his autograph appears on every 
piece, finished drawings and engravings 
are made. 

According to the nature of the work, 
the completed engravings and the copy 
go either to the magazine and news- 
paper department, or to the printing 
department. 

The newspaper and magazine depart- 
ment is in charge of a man who knows 
the rates for space so well that we are 
satisfied to write in our contracts for 
such w r ork a positive guarantee that our 

95 



client in no case shall pay more for the 
space he uses than is paid by anyone 
else under like conditions, and that if at 
any time it can be shown that anyone 
else does pay less we will make good 
the difference in cash. I think there can 
be no stronger guarantee, and I think 
that this guarantee definitely disposes 
of the question of "who gets the lowest 
rates?" 

If our client's work calls for news- 
paper and magazine space, the engrav- 
ings and copy are handled from this de- 
partment, and the client has no detail 
to look after except the detail of paying 
his bill promptly. 

If the matter is to take the form of 
circulars, cards, letters, booklets, cata- 
logues, or any of the many other forms 
of printing, the engravings and copy go 
to the printing department, which is 
fully equipped for the execution of such 
work as we do. 

In this department the work is of suf- 
ficient volume to permit us to have made 
for our exclusive use. various qualities 
and colors of paper and cardboard 
which are not available to other print- 
ers, and which give our client's work 
a distinctiveness which adds materially 
to the force of the advertising. Of some 
varieties of paper and cardboard we are 
perhaps the largest consumers in the 
country, and we carry these particular 
things in stock in larger quantities than 
any jobbing paper house in America. 

With the copy and engravings the 

96 



printers receive instructions, either 
from the literary or art department, as 
to what is required in the way of type, 
ink and paper, and proofs are not sent 
to our client unless they are definitely 
requested. 

From the printing department the fin- 
ished work is sent either to our client or 
to our own addressing department. 

In this department we are prepared 
to furnish lists of names for all pur- 
poses, and here also we keep on file the 
lists supplied to us by our clients for the 
execution of their work. The lists of 
each client are kept separately, and the 
names on one list are not available for 
use on another. The lists supplied to 
us are always the property of our cli- 
ents, and the information contained in 
them is regarded as strictly confidential. 

Mail matter for these lists is ad- 
dressed at the required time, and either 
mailed promptly at the New York post 
office or sent by express or freight, so 
that our client may have the matter 
dropped into his own post office at the 
proper time. 

The matter sent out by this depart- 
ment each year is reckoned by the mil- 
lion. 

The point that we try to impress upon 
business men is that we are fully 
equipped in every way in every depart- 
ment for the execution of any and all 
kind of advertising. 

Everything in legitimate advertising 
is in our line, and we have the ability 
and equipment to handle it properly. 

97 



As the business has grown it has been 
found expedient to locate branch offices 
in some of the larger cities to facilitate 
our work with present clients and to en- 
able us to get promptly in touch with 
new ones. 

Xo work is executed in any of these 
offices, but the man in charge of each 
one, being thoroughly acquainted with 
our methods of work, is able to explain 
them more satisfactorily than could be 
done by mail. He is able also to get 
from our clients the kind and quantity 
of information that we require before 
we can do the best sort of work. 

The location of these offices is such 
that there is no point east of St. Louis 
or north of Washington that is more 
than a dozen hours away from us. With- 
in this territory we are ready to go to 
any place, at any time, to place our 
proposition before the man who means 
business. 



Branch Offices — Boston, Globe Build- 
ing; Philadelphia, Drexel Building; 
Buffalo, 176 Prospect avenue; Chicago, 
Marquette Building; Cincinnati, Johns- 
ton Building; Detroit, Majestic Build- 
ing; Cleveland, Cuyahoga Building; 
Pittsburg, Park Building; London, 118 
Newgate street. 



98 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

021 183 148 



AMERICAN 
SUPREMACY 




